April Fools Day is a great day for new comics no? Despite the madcap shenanigans that you may be privy to, there are some quality books due in stores tomorrow. What does Omnicomic think you should look out for? Iredeemable #1 from Mark Waid.
The book from Boom Studios asks the age old question: what would happen if the world's greatest hero decided to become the world's greatest villain? It's a pretty interesting plot device that will hopefully get people to pay attention to Boom! Studios. There is a special afterword by Grant Morrison, and Peter Krause provides the art.
Enjoy!
New Arrivals: April 1, 2009

Hey look here folks. It is that time of the week again: Tuesday. You know the day before Wednesday, which is new comic book day. So that means it is time for me to bring you my pick of the week for you to read. Today I am gonna take it a little mature with the pick as this comic brings you all sorts of gore, sexual innuendos and political satire.
I am talking about Bomb Queen Vol 5: Bombastic, brought to you from one of my favorite comic book makers in Image Comics. This little slice of comic book bliss is written and drawn by Jimmie Robinson, and the story of this one goes that Bomb Queen is framed for a series of murders in the small town of Littleville. Trapped in her city of crime, the Queen employs a ragtag group of fanboys to discover the truth... before Littleville brings justice in the form of the ultimate superhero.
Personally I have not read any in this storyline, but I think it might be worth it to check out the past four. It's not needed to if you want to pick just this one up as you are guaranteed tons of laughs and a great time in reading. Coming at you at the low price of 16.99, make sure you go get it and enjoy.

The storyline in Spider-Man 3 was what some would call convoluted. Confusing even. Including Sandman and Venom (Venom was reportedly crammed in at the behest of Sony) led to just way too much going on and practically wasting one of Spidey's greatest foes in Venom. That being said, the villain(s) in the fourth film seem to have decided on, but Sam Raimi isn't talking. According to the Sci Fi Wire, we'll have to wait until the summer for the script to find out.
"Right now, David Lindsay-Abaire is working on a draft of the new picture," Raimi said in an exclusive telephone interview on Monday. "And he's hard at work, and hopefully we'll see something in about three months."
The film is set for a May 6, 2011 release to what will undoubtedly be a mammoth opening. But with the script due this summer expect word to leak out about who the villain(s) is/are regardless of Sony's desire to have a big unveiling.
"I'm not at liberty to discuss the villains yet," Raimi said. "I think I have to wait till the finished screenplay, and then it'd really be up to Sony Pictures and the producers to determine when they want to release that information. To them, it's usually a big, a big, big thing, a big moment where they want to present the villain with the proper respect or fear that he or she deserves."
I'd like to note the "she" in that above quote. Is it possible that we could see a female Spidey villain finally? That would definitely shake things up a bit in the universe. I think that Lizard is practically a lock, although unfortunately they'll have to make him an origin story in the film (instead of building up his eventual origin over the first three films). It's a pretty safe assumption that we'll have at least two villains this time around.
Spider-Man 4 script due this summer

Things have been relatively quiet on the X-Men Origins: Wolverine marketing front. Sure we have the TV spots and the full trailer released, but there's still month until the movie hits theaters. There has to be more media! Luckily, X-Men Films Net has some new photos of the cast up for your perusal.
The photos feature Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Liev Schreiber as Sabretooth, Taylor Kitsch as Gambit, Danny Huston as William Stryker and Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool in all their brooding glory. Sadly, there's no Blue Steel in any of the pictures, but at least you can be sure in knowing that the film will be doing its hardest to draw the ladies.
It's interesting that most of the shots featuring Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool show him looking decent. From his own mouth he said that the Deadpool we see in the film won't be the one we've come to know and love. I think a lot of people will be really disappointed that he'll only be in the film for like five minutes. But Marvel has to love that Reynolds as the character is generating so much buzz. Hopefully we can get a standalone movie with Deadpool.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine photos

I bet you thought that America was the country with the prudish Puritan sensibilities that are somewhat antiquated. The UK is looking to pass a law that would effectively ban any depictions of children in sexual situations in an attempt to curb pedophilia. Not that that's a bad thing, but it does touch upon a thorny freedom of speech issue.
The full language of the law seeks to make it a criminal offense to "possess cartoons depicting certain forms of child abuse, in this case depicting children participating in sexual activities, or present whilst sexual activity took place. Obviously this is an extremely sensitive subject and is clearly being done for the right reasons. There are more and more ways for pedophiles to contact children and having print depictions of that could only encourage that behavior. But you're getting into "first amendment" territory here.
The newly formed Comic Book Alliance is none too pleased with the vagueness of the possible law:
“We do not oppose any legislation that protects children from abuse, we understand the need for it, but some parts of the Coroners Bill do need rewording and clarifying,” said a spokesperson. “This new legislation could be used for the wrong reason and if used incorrectly thousands of people could become criminals overnight. The Government refused to impose minimum tariffs on cheap alcohol because it was unfair to punish the majority for the crimes of a minority; yet this legislation does exactly the same.”
Alan Moore's The Lost Girls is the hot topic right now in terms of being affected by the law. The book features the sexual experiences of Alice from Alice in Wonderland, Dorthy from Wizard of Oz and Wendy from Peter Pan. The book focuses on them in their 30s, but the flashbacks put them in teenage years. The book definitely takes some creative license with the characters, but has been pretty universally acclaimed for the quality of the writing.
Keep an eye on this to see if it passes or not. A similar law has already passed in Australia, and while I don't think a bill like this would make it very far here in the US it's worth keeping an eye on.
Graphic artists not happy with ban on erotic comicsPetition

Image Comics has gone into their archives and dusted off an old comic. This old comic was written by Jason Pearson and was affectionately called Body Bags. And the work is set to make a grand return this June, just in time for Father's Day.
Body Bags: Father's Day collects the origin story of Mack (Clown Face) who is the best "body bagger" in the business. His life is turned upside down and inside out however when his daughter, Panda (disclaimer: she's not actually a bear) shows up as a rival bagger with him as her target. From there it's nothing but warm and fuzzy father-daughter bonding (without the tequila shots).
The 128-page full color softcover will sell for $14.99 and will be in stores June 17th, 2009.
Somehow the phrase "put him in a bodybag yeah!" has never been more appropriate.
Full press release below.
JASON PEARSON COLLECTS BODY BAGS THIS JUNE!
Jason Pearson's long out of print high-octane action series with a paternal twist returns in a completely new collection just in time for Father's Day!
30 March 2009 (Berkeley, CA) - This June Image Comics brings back Jason Pearson’s long out of print BODY BAGS: FATHER'S DAY mini-series in an all-new collection!
“I’m very happy to see the FATHER’S DAY trade paperback in print after so many years," Pearson said. "People have been asking for this collection for a while now, and after the success of the BODY BAGS: ONE SHOT, the timing is finally right. There are lots of new Mack and Panda fans that are just discovering these characters and they need access to the story that started it all.”
BODY BAGS collects the sold-out origin story of Mack (a.k.a. Clown Face), the best ‘body bagger’ in the business, and the sudden arrival of his estranged daughter, Panda, as a rival 'bagger' threatens to end her life. In short order Mack has to learn just how he'll handle a wild teenage daughter determined to follow in her daddy’s lethal footsteps. In addition, the collection will feature never-before-seen artwork and bonus materials that will have fans old and new coming back for more!
BODY BAGS, VOL. 1: FATHER'S DAY TP (APR090358), a 128-page full color softcover for $14.99, will be in stores June 17th, 2009.

We've moved south of the border, but no Maya this time around. Another character was introduced, but he was introduced for the episode only and nothing more. We got more of Sylar which usually bodes well for the episode. And Claire getting drunk in front of her dad. Just another week in this season of Heroes?
First off, the new writers are definitely taking this season in a new direction. I think that they're really trying to minimize the fraying edges and simplify the story as best as possible. The story is actually making sense (somewhat) and is focusing on the truly main characters of the saga in the Petrellis, Bennett and Sylar. There were even some really good shots that looked like they were straight out of a comic book (near the beginning when Peter was standing in the alley in the rain was a really awesome shot).
Bennett and Danko stumbled upon a crime scene that seemingly pitted a geometry teacher against a few soldiers. To catch a hero, Mr. Bennett tries to convince Danko that you need a hero (one of us, one of them and all that); he's not too keen on the idea, and sends him on his new assignment (after Mrs. Petrelli). Danko is completely anti-hero, but he seems to be slightly interested in what Sylar has to say to him. The interplay between the two is becoming Ahab and Moby Dick (Danko even refers to Sylar as his white whale). Sylar finally convinces Danko to let him assist in finding the heroes; obviously Sylar wants the power and Danko wants the heroes. Where did Sylar get this investigative ability? I mean, I know he's badass and all but I didn't know he was a freaking Hardy boy.
The new crimefighting duo track their new friend to a nightclub to find women. Apparently this shapeshifter likes to change into people of power with the hopes of scoring. Why the guy turns into Danko I'll never know (maybe women have a thing for bald men?) After some tomfoolery, Danko and Sylar trick the shapeshifter and subsequently tranquilize him. Danko is going to learn real quick that Sylar never wants to help others, however it was quite touching when Danko merely tranquilized the shapeshifter instead of killing him. A sign of good faith to Sylar, giving him a new power to play with. The one condition is that Sylar not rip open the head, and it appears that Sylar can just peer into your soul and take the power as well. Now Sylar can shapeshift...this'll end well. Danko was smart to keep the kill clean, because now Mr. Bennett thinks that Sylar is dead (give it a few episodes until he realizes otherwise). Did they have to make the irony of Danko working with Sylar so obvious? What's the over/under on when Danko tries to betray Sylar and ends up getting killed? Two episodes? Three?
I like that they're finally describing in more detail what Mrs. Petrelli actually does. I mean, she has premonitions and persuasion, but you never really knew how they manifested themselves. Now we know that she has to sleep (naturally), and turning to the church is the way for her to do it. The Petrelli family seems to have been finding religion as of late, asking why them. I'm not sure if the symbolism meant to be there, but as Peter turned to religion it blew up in his face as Mr. Bennett and his crew showed up at the church. Luckily for Angela and Peter Noah likes them, giving the all clear. Isn't this going to catch up to him? He can only play both sides for so long until someone wises up. Mrs. Petrelli finally slept, had a dream and gained insight onto their next steps. The Petrelly family is moving towards a reunion (again) and then going to Angela's sister (another new character that we've yet to meet) for the next course of action.
Claire and Nathan are south of the border playing drinking games (you've got to get money somehow). Claire basically strips and joins in on the fun when Nathan passes out after about 22 tequila shots. They're supposed to be hiding from the US government so they won't get caught, but it ends up being spring break. Claire steps up and picks up where her dad left off, winning the money and sending the kid to his alcohol poisoned induced death (her healing ability extend to alcoholism, giving her a distinct advantage). We're finally getting some remorse from Nathan for his actions. Like he finally realizes that he made a mistake and that he doesn't have the answer to everything. They finally went there, and compared Nathan to Superman. They end in happy father-daughter love as Nathan says he's flying back to the US and Claire should come with. When did Nathan become a scapegoat for the program? Sure Danko and Mr. Bennett saw him fly off, but who would the President believe: Nathan or Danko? I didn't realize that he was no longer a hotshot DC politician anymore.
The show has finally acknowledged Sylar's true purpose: to be the last one standing. They've danced around the issue enough and finally made it clear. The Petrelli family will be reunited (again) and will no doubt catch up with Hiro, Ando and Parkman Jr. where Peter will get his full powers unleashed. I mean, they have to do that so someone can stop Sylar. The new writers are definitely taking this season in a positive direction, and looks to be getting more coherent. They still need to lay off on the new characters, and tie up loose ends with those characters currently there. The show would benefit if it would define who are the first tier characters and who is the supporting cast. It appears that we're moving towards such definition, but only time will tell. I think there's only about 4 episodes left in the season, and this season seems to be following the same arc of the past two seasons (strong opening, crappy middle, decent finish).
Overall score: 86 out of 100

Monday, March 30, 2009

Check, Check can you hear me?? Man is this freaking thing even working? Twist that wire...almost got it. Ok try it now. Hello am I being received?? Awesome. Sorry folks out there just tuning into my weekly radio broadcast. I've been having a little problems here at the compound, and had to do some work. Looks like we got it working right on time, because I don’t know what I do if I could not get my voice and tips out there for you fine survivors to hear. So let us get down to it. For those of you who don’t know this is Brandon, your fellow survivor and teacher of all things zombie and bringing you the news that you want to know. We just now got the radio working again, a few more survivors showed up at my compound and thankfully one of them used to be a electrician at a news broadcast station so I am feeling damn lucky.
For a bit of the news I guess let me go over what intermittent chatter I have heard when the radio worked here and there. It seems Australia is actually almost completely zombie free, mostly in the outback and really rural parts. Sydney is still a bit of a lost cause, but they are slowly cleaning the outskirts of it as it was walled in when they tried to save the city (the wall is keeping the zombies out, which is a good thing for the moment). Have not heard much of anything from North Korea as they went completely silent when the outbreak happened. Much of Hawaii is cleared; I hear they lure as many as they can to the shore and kill them from boats till it gets too crowded. For us here in the mainland United States, it seems they are making headway in a lot of the smaller cities, since most of the huge urban zones got nuked and bombed. Canada is doing a great job towards their most northern points as the frigid cold slows and freezes zombies.
As for the tip of the week I believe I have covered a bit of this information before but figured I would go over it a little more in-depth. I am talking about close combat edge weapons. If you have to use these types it might be your last resort or you are in a cleanup crew going through an area already swept clean but killing the random downed zombie. The most readily available weapons that a civilian could buy before the outbreak were hatchets, machetes or tools used for gardening or camping. Now these weapons are useful in close combat and are best used when swiping at the neck to take the head off, but you have to remember the brain is still active, which means that the zombie head is still active and can bite (so after taking the head make sure to stomp on the head or crush it with a hammer or heavy object).
There are a multitude of swords out there, but the only ones that are useful are ones that can cut and slice. Merely stabbing does no good unless you can stab through the eye successfully, which is dangerous on its own and quite impossible to do. Since most swords that were easily found before the outbreak were mostly for show, you have to find a battle tested one that can withstand the rigors of battle. These would cost serious money in the past that could be spent elsewhere, but now money is no longer needed.
These types of weapons never run out, so long as you have the will to swing them. The best type of sword to find and use are old school samurai katanas, or a Roman broadsword that you would use two hands to swing (these are a guaranteed kill slice through the neck or head). They are hard to come by, but can be found or with the right material and time made if the knowledge is found.
There ya have it folks, all the news you need to know plus a little something to help you stay alive and help us win this war. I have to sign off as my buddy who helped me fix the radio is telling me it is about to blow if we don’t stop, so sorry folks this is Brandon signing off. Till next week, hopefully it will be working. Keep fighting and keep surviving.

Death in comics don't really mean what they used to mean. Ever since DC realized that killing off Superman was a horrible public relations disaster, the big two have been somewhat hesitant to kill off anyone else. Marvel did "kill" Captain America (Steve Rogers), and DC most recently "killed" Batman (Bruce Wayne...although I'd say I'm 90% sure he's not really dead). But one of the more poignant deaths had to have been that of Barry Allen in Crisis on Infinite Earths. Recent events in Final Crisis saw the return of Barry West, and now he's got his own series in The Flash: Rebirth.
Geoff Johns returns to the all too familiar territory of The Flash in this series that features the start of an explosive and jaw-dropping epic that will reintroduce to the modern age the hero who single-handedly birthed the Silver Age of comics! This is legacy defining here kids, so it's kind of a big deal. Ethan van Sciver provides the illustrations and cover for the John's writing.
The Flash: Rebirth #1 is the first of five issues and hits stores this Wednesday (April 1) for $3.99. You'll have to read to find out if this is the real deal or some sick April Fool's joke by the folks over at DC on Flash fans.
Preview: The Flash: Rebirth

I am ecstatic to see that Spider-Man is hitting broadway. Not just hitting Broadway, but slamming into it with the brute force of a phenomenal director and epic music talent. Will it be any good though? Modern Fabulousity is a blog that has a penchant for providing coverage of the theater industry, and they got themselves a preview of the musical. Based on their report, I'm extremely intrigued.
Julie Taymor (The Lion King) directing, Eiko Ishioka (Coppola's Dracula and the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony) is doing costumes and U2's Bono and The Edge are scoring the broadway musical. The story will go in a direction opposite that of Sam Raimi, focusing more on New York and the real world aspects of the story. Villains making cameos are Green Goblin, Lizard, Kraven, Swarm, and a new female villain created at the behest of Taymor, Swiss Miss. There is the potential for a secret surprise villain as well, so fear not that Dr. Octopus could be making an appearance.
Spider-Man will be swinging through the "streets" of the stage, so don't worry about that. And U2 were seen as somewhat tentative to premiere their score to the crowd. The songs were greeted with a warm reception, giving lots of hope for the musical to actually be decent. The two are musical geniuses and can obviously be trusted with a broadway musical score, so that bodes well.
The writeup has a much more extensive preview of the musical, and it really does seem extremely promising. It should hit theaters next January 16 for a preview, opening to full release February 18, so be sure to make a stop on Broadway if you're going to be in New York City.
Preview of Spider-Man musical

This Star Wars thing has slightly gotten out of hand. Yes, that statement does win the understatement of the year award, but the fact remains that Star Wars continues to leverage that familiar name and get into all sorts of different media. Dark Horse presents just a tiny fraction of the intergalactic behemoth that is Star Wars with the Star Wars: The Old Republic webcomic. The one thing Star Wars that George Lucas actually doesn't charge for.
Act I is titled "The Treaty of Coruscant" and features three three-paged issues available for viewing. The book is a tie-in to the upcoming game of the same name and features talent from Dark Horse, BioWare and of course LucasArts. The comics will be released twice a month (and I would say this is the second for March), so I would predict the next issue to be available in about two weeks time.
And no, your senses can't repel a webcomic of this magnitude.
Star Wars: The Old Republic webcomic

The rebirth of the Marvel onslaught continues. The latest just happens to be of the video game variety.
Recently it was announced that Marvel had signed a deal with Gazillion to develop and release the massive multiplayer online game that was originally scheduled but was then canned for whatever reasons. Simon Phillips, Marvel's president of worldwide consumer products said that the game is slightly further along than we think.
“It sounds like a long way away, but it’s not,” he said. “We’ve got to create, together with [game publisher] Gazillion, that environment that is going to be a totally immersive experience and a perpetual storytelling experience as well.” Philips said that he sees MMOs as “the next generation of storytelling.”
The current plan has it hitting consoles in 2012, after the fury of Marvel films have come and gone through theaters. You know, continue the brand recognition and all that. Marvel has pretty much faced the fact that it will be behind DC in the race to multiplayer comic book fun, but they have the properties that will make it worth the wait.
Marvel MMO due in 2012

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is the latest attempt of Hollywood to relive our childhood while at the same time bastardizing it to make a profit. Why stop with the just a movie though? The tentacles of branding and marketing are of course reaching out for other avenues of bastardization, such as the inevitable video game tie-in to the movie. And in case you're dying to know what to expect from it, look no further than Gametrailers, who just so happen to have the trailer for said tie-in video game.
The game picks up where the movie leaves off as you battle against COBRA. You can assemble your own team from 12 different JOEs. You'll have the latest gadgets and vehicles at your disposal as you fight the good fight. Enjoy the trailer!
If you have trouble with the player below, here's the link.

Friday, March 27, 2009

I miss Trek. I really do.
Growing up, I think I just started to take it for granted that there would always BE a Star Trek show on TV to watch, in one form or another.
Of course I love the old show. The one where Spock wears that wool cap frickin’ kills me. Or when they land on these planets, and there’d be stuff that just…barely made any sense? Like, they’d land on a planet, and it would be a “gangster-world.” Somehow the planet is an exact parallel of Earth and its culture- but with lots, and lots, of 1930s criminal gangsters. Little or no explanation. So they’d be like: “Captain’s log, star date something something. We’ve discovered a gangster-world.” I’m serious. The dialog wasn’t that far off.
And say what you want about William Shatner (who I think is kind of brilliant, and hilarious, in his own right now that we’re on the subject) but I think Kirk is the man. Why? Because everybody else in Star Trek IS something. They’re all supposed to represent the best elements of humanity (which is another reason everybody loves Trek- because the future of humanity doesn’t suck beyond belief)- Picard is an archeologist/anthropologist, Riker is a musician (which is why he’s ‘number one’ because he’s good at organizing and conducting things)… you know stuff like that.
But Kirk? Kirk is a starship captain. That’s what he is. Obviously I’m psyched about the revamp. I’ve been hurt by J.J. Abrams before, so I’m cautious- but have to admit, I think it looks pretty great.
I loved Next Gen too. Who didn’t? What isn’t to love? The last couple movies let me down, but hey, you know. I thought Nemesis wasn’t bad. I still maintain that Insurrection wasn’t really a movie- just a plot for a two-part episode of the show that they turned into a movie. I know Voyager gets tons of crap, but I didn’t think it was so bad. Believe it or not, Janeway grew on me.
At the end of the day, I’m a really hardcore Deep Space Nine fan. I’m always shocked at just how many Star Trek fans never got around to watching it. I will admit that it’s sort of the hard liquor of Star Trek. That is to say, it’s really embedded in Star Trek mythology- the different races, the politics and technology. I think it’s as relevant as any of the other shows- that is, it’s still big on the metaphors and all that jazz, but you sort of have to know a lot about Star Trek to appreciate it. But I loved the whole thing with the Dominion and the wormhole- it was sort of like Star Trek does World War II.
So then- Enterprise happened.
See, I was never against the concept of the show- the idea of having a Star Trek show that had stronger ties to the original, than the TNG, wasn’t a bad one.
But then they sold out! The Romulans, a time war- someone decided that people weren’t watching and they started slamming all this stuff from the other shows in there, through whatever plot hook they could find, to get ratings up. Enterprise didn’t go far enough.
Well, show or no show- I’ve known for a while that a great deal of “expanded universe” material was out there. It had never really caught my interest- at least not until there was no show to watch anymore.
There have been some real missteps, regarding Star Trek and comic books. Funny enough, these didn’t all come in comic book form.
I think I’ve alluded to it before, but I swear to God, there’s an X-Men/Star Trek: TNG NOVEL. Planet X. By Michael Jan Friedman.
Ouch.
IDW continues to acquire licenses and make books that captivate my attention. I’ve become a huge fan of almost all of their lines- Transformers, Angel; I’m even a Dr. Who fan.
Of course they’ve got the obligatory movie prequel tie-in out there for you to read if you want, called Star Trek: Countdown. Supposedly it gives you a little bit of a tease regarding the movie’s Romulan antagonist, Nero (nice touch with the name- Nero was a Roman emperor, and by all accounts, batshit insane). Normally I’d be writing a blog mocking this kind of material, but here’s the catch- J.J. Abrams' name is on the comic.
Yes, the director of the summer movie actually took the time to help write what was going to print on this one.
For me though, nothing seems to captivate my attention as much as what I call dark-mirror-trek.
Mirror Mirror was the name of the Star Trek episode where they had that alternate universe, where everyone was evil? And Spock had that goatee?
I’m totally obsessed with this. Enterprise actually did a bit with this, and DS9 had a whole arc involving Benjamin Sisko, and his son, actually going TO the other universe, like the original crew did.
There’s something so bewildering and unnatural at seeing Star Trek all…dark. You know, like suddenly everything about the show that resembled all the best elements of humanity now resemble the worse. The crew kill and betray each other. The Klingons and the Federation- sorry, “Terran Empire”- fight it out for hundreds of years, with little regard for any civilization that gets in the way. Women actually wear even TIGHTER uniforms and use sex like a weapon. It’s creepy- but you gotta watch. Or read.
That being said, I’m going to give a shout out to Mirror Images, published by IDW and written by Scott and David Tipton. The hardcore Trek fans are going to appreciate this series.
Roughly, the book is focused on the events that led mirror-Kirk to seize control of the I.S.S. (Imperial Starship) Enterprise from Captain Pike. Really hardcore fans are going to appreciate just how steeped in Trek-lore this is. Pike was the guy who- well, he was the character the show was originally supposed to air with. After the pilot, the producers ditched him and introduced Kirk. They didn’t get rid of the character though- Pike made another cameo in the show, albeit as a man who had been crippled.
Actually, Pike is going to be in this summer’s bigass movie too. That’s him in the trailer, that voiceover who’s talking to Kirk and is all like “You always had trouble finding your place in this world, etc.”
Anyway, there isn’t any such thing as “promotion” in the Terran Empire. Starships work more like pirate ships- the captain tries to keep the crew from mutiny, but once in a while someone steps in, drops you out of an airlock, and promotes themselves.
The series is such a cool retelling of the whole, original transition that happened just after the show launched. Of course, it’s filled with all sorts of shocking betrayals, bloodlust, and general un-Star-Trek like behavior. But hey- Spock with a goatee. I highly recommend it.

Kotaku was lucky enough to get some hands on play time with Rocksteady Studios' Batman: Arkham Asylum at the Game Developers Conference (and the finally learned how to spell "Arkham"). Editor Brian Crescente got a chance to take a look at the challenges mode featured in the game, and he had some positive things to say about it. What did he like?
The free flow of the combat was especially enjoyable, as it seems you really get the feeling of being Batman as he bounds from one thug to another, delivering haymakers and kicks along the way. The dialogue is sharp and doesn't feature the phrase "cool party" at any point, and the full assortment of Bat-weapons will be at your disposal.
There were only two downsides that he could find. The first was diversity in the challenges. In that there really wasn't any diversity. The second is the combat animations. Who know there were only two or three ways a thug could fall to the ground. I can't really fault the studio on the combat animations, but coming up with a diverse array of challenges is something that may cause some repetitiveness. But why am I complaining?
The game is coming along quite swimmingly (it's said to be in the tail end of production) and it's actually the first Batman game I've looked forward to in a while (LEGO Batman doesn't really count). Be sure to get your preorder in for the game's release this June.
And I'll say it again because it's awesomenes bears repeating: Kevin Conroy is Batman and Mark Hamill is The Joker.
Kotaku previews Batman: Arkham Asylum

Image must be happy. Extremely happy. Their upcoming book Viking #1 hasn't even been released yet and it's already sold out. Well, not quite sold out through to your hands. But pretty much every retailer has already signed on for their shipment of the book when it's released this April.
The story goes like this. Two brothers in the 9th century are desperately seeking to make their way up the ladder of the Norse criminal underground. Ivan Brandon and illustrator Nic Klein have engendered quite the darling status within comic book circles, and the heaps of praise even caught the creators off guard.
"I can't thank the retailers enough for the crazy amount of support they've shown for us." Brandon said. "This book is a lot of years in progress and for Nic and I to see this kind of reception... I spent the weekend giddy and humbled and half-waiting to wake up and find out I'd imagined the whole thing. We overprinted by a lot, hoping there'd be word of mouth above our initial orders. To sell out, before the public's even seen the book... it's so far beyond what I could ever have hoped far. To make sure as many copies get out there as possible, we'll be releasing the first printing on April 22nd, with a massive second printing in stores two weeks later on May 6th, to make sure there's not a huge wait for anyone."
Well then.
The 32-page full color comic book for $2.99 will be in stores April 22nd, with the second printing to follow on May 6th, 2009. Get in line now.
Full press release below.
PRESS RELEASE - IMAGE COMICS' VIKING GOES BACK TO PRESS DUE TO UNPRECEDENTED PRE-RELEASE SELL OUT!
Pre-release VIKING buzz results in a massive sell out bigger than any other in recent Image history.
26 March 2009 (Berkeley, CA) - After an amazing reception at this past weekend's ComicsPRO, writer Ivan Brandon and illustrator Nic Klein's upcoming ongoing series, VIKING, now faces a pre-release distribution-level sellout of unprecedented proportions despite a very significant overprint, resulting in an near-immediate second printing.
"I can't thank the retailers enough for the crazy amount of support they've shown for us." Brandon said. "This book is a lot of years in progress and for Nic and I to see this kind of reception... I spent the weekend giddy and humbled and half-waiting to wake up and find out I'd imagined the whole thing. We overprinted by a lot, hoping there'd be word of mouth above our initial orders. To sell out, before the public's even seen the book... it's so far beyond what I could ever have hoped far. To make sure as many copies get out there as possible, we'll be releasing the first printing on April 22nd, with a massive second printing in stores two weeks later on May 6th, to make sure there's not a huge wait for anyone."
VIKING, heralded as a crime comic for the 9th century, follows the story of two brothers looking to make their way up the ladder of the Norse criminal underground only to find they're quickly biting off more than they could ever hope to chew. Nic Klein's lush renditions of Ivan Brandon's hard-boiled storytelling results in what has been retailers and press already praising it as the buzz book release of April. The variant cover will feature a slightly tweaked version of Klein's original gorgeous cover and will retain the series' high-quality production values and Golden Age dimensions.
ComicsPRO Board Member and Lonestar Comics General Manager Chris Powell added, "At our ComicsPRO meeting, [Image Comics PR & Marketing Coordinator] Joe Keatinge brought a copy of VIKING #1 for retailers to look at. Everything about the book screamed 'big hit', from story to art to production values. I love the fact that it's a larger trim size with heavy textured paper that compliments the 'feel' of the book nicely. We upped our orders via telephone from the meeting, and can't wait to put this book into the hands of our customers!"
VIKING #1 (FEB092371), a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores April 22nd. The second printing will follow on May 6th, 2009. Retailers interested in learning more about ComicsPRO can find more details at www.comicspro.org.
Image Comics is a comics and graphic novels publisher formed in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Since that time, Image has gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. There are currently five partners in Image Comics (Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino), and Image is currently divided into four major houses (Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, and Image Central). Image comics and graphic novels cover nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable, offering science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor, and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. Visit www.imagecomics.com.

I am 99.9% certain that Skynet is that much closer to becoming fully self-aware. In these crazy times you can keep track of anyone anywhere, either voluntarily or involuntarily. Jon Favreau is going the decidedly more pleasant voluntary route by Twittering away. Some of those "tweets" include updates on Iron Man 2.
Those tweets include the following:

Rehearsed today with Mr. Rockwell.

Great rehearsal today with Gwyneth, RDJ and Don Cheadle.

Rehearsed today with Gwyneth. She looks ripped. I gotta read GOOP and see what the hell she's eating.

Chances are you've never heard of Steel Rising. Not that it's a bad book or anything, but it's the definition of small press. Brad Huffman-Parent and artists Brad Thingvold, Joe Armour and Michael Summers have created a really intriguing comic book that pretty much takes everything about fantasy and crams it into one book, with a catch of course (more on that in a second). Oh yeah. The book is moving onto round 2 in the Small Press Idol contest.
Small Press Idol is an amateur's contest in comics that mixes "a bit of American Idol with a bit of The Apprentice" and throws in random social experiments. The winning comic gets a cash prize ($700) and a four issue miniseries published on Dime Store Productions. The contest is kind of a big deal that is in round 2, leaving you until April 1 to vote. Now, back to that fantasy catch thing.
In this world, elves, orcs, dragons, etc. live alongside humans. Ok, ok. Nothing too un-fantasy there. But what if those orcs lived down the street from you? You know, like today? Catch enough for you? All these entities have taken up modern day jobs and are trying to make the best of it, but some of them aren't having any luck. Wood Elves live in parks and watch the industry destroy their lands, while the Dark Elves have retreated to sewers. And mages?
Mages have found that there is no need for them. Until World War II when they were asked to flex their magic muscle and essentially wipe out half the world. Leading to the Mage Control Act which banishes all mages, forcing them into hiding for fear or persecution and death. Until a Black Ruby appears, and it's up to the mages to save the day.
Voting on the books is open until April 1, so you've got some time to get over there. Until then, check out the Steel Rising website and if you like what you see send a vote their way.
Steel RisingSmall Press Idol

Way back in the magical year of 2007, Archaia Studios Press released a book that has been revered as being a unique and existential zombie book that stands out among zombie lore. The book was called Awakening, written by Nick Tapalansky, art by Alex Eckman-Lawn and letters by Thomas Mauer (there was even a back Cover by Teresa Marra). Well, it's only taken two years, but the critically acclaimed 10-issue series is hitting compilation status.
The story goes like this (straight from Archaia Studios Press).
A series of missing-persons and gruesome murders has begun to unfold in the city of Park Falls. Derrick Peters, a former member of the Park Falls Police Department, receives a visit from Cynthia Ford one January afternoon. Cynthia, well known as the town crazy, seems to have finally lost her mind. She claims to have information about the murders…but does she hold the key to unlocking the mystery or has she truly gone insane?
To Derrick’s disbelief she utters one word:
Zombies.
Yipes. So what's the big deal you ask? Well beside the zombies, the creators need your help to get the book out to as many people as possible. To more easily facilitate this endeavor the below coupon has been produced for you to use to preorder. Just walk into your local comic book store, politely hand them the coupon and be on your merry way with the assurance that the book will be ordered for you. You only have until April 11 to get your preorder in, so if you want this book you should get in there sooner than later.
If you like zombies, you really owe it to yourself to get in on this action. You may have missed the series the first time around back in 2007, but June is your chance for redemption for picking up the compilation when it comes out.
Awakening MySpace Preorder infoAwakening MySpace

Have you ever dreamed of writing a screenplay? Better yet, a screenplay for a storied Marvel franchise that you grew up loving and cherishing? Well today may be your lucky day. Marvel is seeing quite a demand for movies based on their characters, and a recent report by Variety indicates that they may need your help.
Each year, Marvel will invite up to five writers to work on various projects, and you could be rubbing elbows with some of the writers currently at Marvel. The idea is to create a writing fellowship (no rings involved) to come up with fresh views and takes on some of the lesser known Marvel properties for potential movie scripts.
Writers will receive a salary for the year which could amount to being upwards of $100,000, but knowing Marvel's penchant for penny penching I wouldn't be surprised if there's at least one contentious salary negotiation. Marvel executives will choose the writers with Kevin Feige having the ultimate sign off. This is a really interesting endeavor and will ensure that the B-List heroes get the respect and reverance they deserve (Black Panther, Cable, Doctor Strange, Iron Fist, Nighthawk and Vision).
I vote for Tedd and/or Mark to write for Dr. Strange.
Marvel hiring writers

Thursday, March 26, 2009

I enjoy the opportunities I get to throw a shout out to a fellow Bostonian, and Brian Kirsten is just that. Kirsten runs Brain Scan Studios, a slightly off-kilter studio that focuses on short series spoofing certain other works out in comic book shops. But what spoofs could be worth reading you ask? Well let me tell you.
Watchmensch is about a team of lawyers who work in the comic book industry and must band together against a conspiracy. There have been recent murder attempts aimed as Nite Nurse, Spottyman, Silk, 1700 Broadway Manhattan and Ozzyosbourne. And a cloned creature is prepping for a "drop in" on the city in the immediate future, so they have to contend with that as well. The book is by Rich Johnston and Simon Rohrmuller and available as of March 24, so get in gear and find it.
Revolution of the Mask #1 by Lewis Lovhaug and Leonardo Freites is another proverbial feather in Brain Scan's cap. A massive, no-holds barred war has decimated the planet leaving only "The All," or what remains of the Earth's population. Everyone belongs to everyone else, and there's no longer an "i" in team (there never was, but it's really true here). The new world leads to the Revolution of the Mask, or individuals donning capes and costumes seeking to redefine individuality.
Finally, Serial #1 by David Hayes, Kurt Belcher, Kevin Moyers et. al is a monthly series that spotlights famous (rather, infamous) real serial killers. The layout is reminiscent of the 50s pulp comics and each issue features a 10-page main story, 6-page back up story and a 4-page spotlight story. The inaugural issue features John Wayne Gacy, Angel Resendiz and Albert Fish.
There are quite a few other books over there that you should take the time to check out if you're looking for something a little out of the ordinary.
Brain Scan Studios

Crossovers are a certain sort of wonderful. They essentially amount to a great "what if" that feeds fans' dreams about ultimate fights or teams. These crossovers are even more exciting when they bring in other universes, and Top Cow/Marvel is hoping for that excitement with the upcoming Fusion crossover.
Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning will write the series that features art by Tyler Kirkham, and with covers by Mike Choi and Sonja Oback. The story starts with Ripclaw appearing in a small northeast town in a fit of rage (most likely in Boston because the driving here sucks). From there it's only a matter of time until Iron Man and the Avengers get involved.
“We're really excited about the opportunity to bring the Top Cow and Marvel Universes' mightiest teams together for the first time and weave the continuity of these two universes into a head-on collision of titanic proportions,” added co-writers Abnett and Lanning. “We've had a blast writing these classic characters both old and new and hope readers enjoy the ride. We think you will be blown away with Tyler Kirkham's amazing artwork!”
Fusion will end with a lead in to Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer set to release July 2009. On the Marvel side of things, the events will fall into the "Initiative" era that occurs prior to Secret Invasion.
Full press release below.
CYBERFORCE / HUNTER-KILLER / AVENGERS / THUNDERBOLTS FUSION #1 Lands In Stores in May!
LOS ANGELES, Calif., March 25th, 2009– Top Cow Productions, Inc. proudly announced today that the characters from their popular titles Hunter-Killer and Cyberforce will team up against The Mighty Avengers and Thunderbolts from Marvel Comics, in Fusion, a three part crossover mini-series with the first issue to debut in May 2009.
As a summer crossover event, Fusion represents an apex in the continuation of an ongoing packaging agreement between Top Cow Productions and Marvel Comics that began in 2006. The agreement between the two companies produced a number of great stories such as The Darkness/Wolverine, Cyberforce/X-Men, Witchblade/Punisher as well as a Magdalena/Daredevil match-up.
“The crossovers with Marvel characters have been the most fun part of deal with Marvel,” commented Top Cow Publisher, Filip Sablik, “We wanted to go out with a bang and telling a multi-part story involving four of the biggest teams from both companies seemed like a natural.”
The writing team of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova) will script Fusion, which begins when the Mighty Avengers and Cyberforce are together when Cyberforce’s own teammate, Ripclaw, appears in a small Northeast town in an uncontrollable rage.
“We're really excited about the opportunity to bring the Top Cow and Marvel Universes' mightiest teams together for the first time and weave the continuity of these two universes into a head-on collision of titanic proportions,” added co-writers Abnett and Lanning. “We've had a blast writing these classic characters both old and new and hope readers enjoy the ride. We think you will be blown away with Tyler Kirkham's amazing artwork!”
Fusion will be drawn by Top Cow artist Tyler Kirkham (Ultimate Fantastic Four, Broken Trinity: Aftermath) and will feature covers by Marvel Young Guns Mike Choi and Sonia Oback (Uncanny X-Men, X-Force).
“I have always wanted to draw Ripclaw. I grew up with Cyberforce. Not to mention the chance to draw a nice lineup of big name Marvel Characters,” said artist Kirkham, “The great writing of Dan and Andy had me pumped up from the beginning!”
The conclusion to Fusion leads nicely into Top Cow’s Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer, a new event series to be released by Top Cow in July 2009. Fusion will take place during the “Initiative” era of Marvel Comics continuity, prior to the events of Secret Invasion.

Dynamite Entertainment has just released the cover art for Buck Rogers #1, and boy oh boy is it chock full of Alex Ross wonderment. The book is due out later this year, so in the meantime you'll have to wipe the drool off your keyboard.

Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman have done quite an admirable job with Transformers (and presumably the sequel will be good as well). Their dialogue was pretty smart and clever and didn't detract too much from the movie in the way of being a bad story. But their talents are no longer needed after Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen it would seem.
Orci stopped by the Don Murphy message boards to post the following statement:
"Time for fresh blood!" writes Orci. "The main reason we would move on is because we risk getting stale and comfortable. If you only sing one song for too long, you miss the opportunity to sing new songs. We'll see."
My take is that no, they're not coming back. They have a valid point...if you keep working on the same projects over and over you're really only helping the studio. Yeah, they'll keep making bank, but you're sacrificing other projects that could be more interesting to you. I really can't say if this is good or bad without seeing the sequel, but hopefully the writers that do come on for the third film will do it justice.
Orci and Kurtzman NOT doing Transformers 3

So yeah, more Jesus.
Mark Millar's work American Jesus is getting heaps and heaps of attention thrown on it. And why not. It's a provocative subject written by an awesome writer. A perfect combination for a movie if I'm not mistaken.
The Hollywood Reporter writes that Matthew Vaughn and Millar are in talks to create American Jesus as a movie, almost immediately after their collaboration on Kick-Ass. Vaughn will most likely go the non-studio route as he did with Kick-Ass (that movie depicted teens and children in ultraviolent situations).
Production will likely start in the summer, with Marv Films partner Kris Thykier assisting. I'm sure we'll get more information on this as the year progresses, but in the mean time realize that it's a pretty good time to be Mark Millar (or a fan of his work even).
American Jesus coming to film

The Game Developers Conference is currently going on, but the fact that it's a show about video games won't let comic news get lost in the fold. Capcom (one of the industy heavyweights) was on hand to talk all things, well, Capcom. Which also happened to include the upcoming six issue Resident Evil comic, intuitively titled Resident Evil. Writer Ricardo Sanchez was gracious enough to do an interview with Capcom (they do sign his paychecks), and in it he mentions some of details about the upcoming series.
Ricardo mentioned that the game was going to be tied into Resident Evil 5 (fantastic game by the way), but then the direction was changed. In a completely different direction actually.
"The new comic book is roughly contemporaneous with RE5, but I'd say occurs just prior to the events of the game, if only because no reference is made to those events. The comic was initially planned as a prequel to the game, but as we developed the story, the comic evolved into a new set of characters that would exist within the Resident Evil universe."
So no Chris Redfield. Or Sheva. Who would the book focus on then? Mina Gere, a rookie member of the BSAA, and a veteran mercenary (who must have also been a porn star) named Holiday Sugarman. And it wouldn't be a Resident Evil property without a T-virus, so expec that to be making an appearance as well. The two of them trapse across Grezbekistan (fictional location), South America and even space.
Kevin Sharpe and Jim Clark will be doing the art, and Resident Evil #1 is due on April 8. Below are the first four pages of the first issue.
Resident Evil: Comic Interview

No disrespect to the Dragon himself Bruce Lee, but I'm fairly certain a real fight between Bruce Lee and Iron Man wouldn't end in hobbits. Just a thought. Regardless, after the jump is a fan made video featuring the classic kung fu stylings of Bruce Lee pitted against the wunderkind know-how of Tony Stark.
Although this fight is awesome, I would really love to see Bruce Wayne/Batman battle Tony Stark/Iron Man in a battle of the ingenious multibillionaires. Honestly, why hasn't this been done yet in a massive Marvel/DC crossover?

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Is anyone interested in Watching the Watchmen?
Review: Tales of the Black Freighter/Under the Hood
During the initial Watchmen hype (even before the movie was fully cast) there was some talk about having the "Tales of the Black Freighter" narrative as part of the film. Of course, most readers of this site will remember that this is the "comic within a comic" device that Alan Moore used to comment on the "real" narrative of the Watchmen. This signaled that director and alpha-fanboy Zach Snyder would give comic fans a 360 degree cinematic look at the great and beloved graphic novel.
And now, almost a month after the film's release? Well, for now the film is hardly a disaster, but it appears to be a real disappointment as far as the fans go and the US box office. Monday Morning Quarterbacking seems to be along the lines that the film was too faithful to the book; a refrain with virtually no precedent in the area of comic book film adaptations.
So, just a few weeks into the film's release fans find themselves with one more artifact from the production which is the straight-to-DVD "Tales of the Black Freighter/Under the Hood" (Warner Home Video). These two features complete the experience of the film (or, are supposed to complete the experience of the film) by adding some of the collateral narratives of the Watchmen graphic novel into the film experience as a whole. The question is at this point, does anyone really care?
"The Tales of the Black Freighter" is a surprise misfire. The animation is serviceable, but not nearly as grand or baroque as the story requires. There was much about this story in the Watchmen that would have made a good animated film, but (as with the Watchmen movie) something got simply lost in the translation. Gerard Butler's narration is a dud as well. Also, without the film to provide needed context, the story doesn't have any traction on its own (a huge problem). It would have been much more interesting to have made a live action short with Butler. There is no indication that this was a possibility, but it is hard to believe that it did not cross the mind of Snyder, et al.
The documentary about "Under the Hood" is a real surprise, however. The feature is done in the style of a late 70s local news program with a journalist interviewing Hollis Mason (the first Nite Owl) about his autobiography "Under the Hood" which was a memoir and expose about the birth of the superhero movement by one of the early participants. Stephen McHattie (who played the role in the film version) is especially good at the back and fourth between the interviewer and himself. The construction of archival footage and props is very expert and effective.
The documentary also manages to put across some of Moore's ideas in a more efficient way than the nearly 3 hour film did. The idea that the second generation of superheroes were neurotic and even deranged; the idea that celebrity and commerce were a stronger motivators for superhero deeds than a sense of justice and the odd sexual nature of dressing up in costume and role playing. (Look for a Chanel like commercial advertising Veidt Nostalgia perfume).
The disc also has a by the number documentary on the making of the film which is a throwaway.
Right now, it seems puzzling why WB would release this disc after the film's release. Maybe they thought it would give the film a push into late March and early April? Clearly, had they known that the film would be off the radar so quickly they would have released TBF at the same time (if not before) the film's March 6th release to maximize the interest even for a moment.
To answer the question does anyone really care about this disc one must say for now, no. However, it is a certainty that when the Watchmen is released on DVD that these discs will be part of the "Special Edition" packaging at some point. At that point, these features will likely add something to the experience for the viewer. It might even be an interesting notion to try to edit these narratives into the film itself in the same way that "Under the Hood" and "Freighter" are part of the fabric of the literary Watchmen story. Until then, we must content ourselves with a fragmented cinematic Watchmen experience...
the hidden s...

The upcoming Batman: Arkham Asylum game is rated Teen. That's fine. The Dark Knight was rated PG-13 and it was plenty dark. But what that really means is that you shouldn't expect Batman to be kiling anyone in this game. And that keeps in line with the character as he will never kill, but part of me wanted to see Batman drop an insane inmate off the roof or something. A small part of me, but a part nonetheless.
The ESRB has posted their reasoning behind the rating, and there really isn't much in it that's too crazy. My favorite part of the description?
"Two female characters wear provocative outfits that expose deep cleavage and/or partial buttocks, and one of them moans suggestively when she is in peril."
Mmm. Tasty.
It also appears that players will be able to battle the imates with "spikes and light beams," whatever that means. Perhaps some environmental weapons that Batman will be able to use in his fight? Or a lightsaber. It could go either way really.
Full description below.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Platform: Windows PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Rating: Teen
Content descriptors: Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Rating summary: This is an action game featuring characters from the Batman franchise. Players assume the role of Batman as he fights (never kills) his way through a psychiatric hospital populated by psychopathic criminals and humans infected with a toxic virus. Players can punch, kick, and use weapons (spikes, light beams, and other gadgets) to defend against the onslaught of enemies. Some attacks are highlighted by special effects, such as slow-motion hits and close-ups of damage inflicted. During the course of the game, players can enter rooms with blood stains on the ground and walls or witness the "infected" twitching and screaming in pain. Some inmates and guards are strewn unconscious/dead on the asylum floors, while others are tied-up, strapped to torture devices, or are being tortured (e.g., a guard suffering in an electric chair). Two female characters wear provocative outfits that expose deep cleavage and/or partial buttocks, and one of them moans suggestively when she is in peril. Players are occasionally required to identify and track traces of whiskey/tobacco during missions. Some expletives(e.g., "b*tch," "damn," and "pissed") can be heard in the dialogue.
Batman: Arkham Asylum ESRB rating

Kenneth Branaugh is responsible for bringing the Norse god Thor to the big screen. But don't think for one second that he's coming alone. It's no secret that Marvel is working on an Avengers movie, and that Thor will most likely be a part of it. It's also no secret that Marvel wants their universe in print to translate onto the big screen. So expect that the Thor movie will have plenty of references to others in the Marvel universe.
Big man on Marvel campus Joe Quesada spoke with MTV Splash Page about Branaugh's work on the Thor movie and his understanding of the necessity for film continuity.
“[Branagh] understood that there was this very, very big tapestry of the Marvel movies,” Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada told MTV News. “There’s continuity within the movies and he really wanted to play within that and wanted it to be part of the other movies.”
It's good that Branaugh gets it. Even if Marvel wasn't planning massive crossover films with their properties it's a nice nod to the comic book fans that read these storylines and know why Hulk and Iron Man know each other. Or Captain America's part in the Avengers. Marvel actually taking that a step further and consciously creating this universe within these films is an extra level of awesomeness. And honestly, I don't really know how successful a Thor movie would be on its own.
Thor is one of those characters that has somewhat of a cult following, but not too many people really know about him. The notion that his story will tie directly into the Avengers story at the very least should help the box office draw. Not that it's all about the money, but the reality is that studios make these film decisions based on box office take. If Thor doesn't do well, don't expect to see other Marvel characters such as Ant-Man for instance get the silver screen treatment.
Thor part of the Marvel Universe

Have you checked out Super Zombies, by Dynamite Comics? The first issue is all sorts of sold out, but just because you're having trouble finding the print version doesn't mean you shouldn't know what you could be missing. Dynamite Comics has released a trailer for the first issue. Check it out after the jump, then hurry on over to eBay to pick up a copy.

Marvel is really getting on board with this Wolverine character. He has something of an epic movie in the making due to hit theaters May 1. Not to mention a legion of loyal fans who think the "true" Weapon X is the baddest ass mutant of them all. And April 21 will add a little touch to his expanding mythos with the DVD release of Wolverine and the X-Men: Heroes Return Trilogy.
The DVD will feature the first three episodes of the hot new animated show that runs with Professor X designating Wolverine the new leader of the X-Men. Needless to say, Cyclops is none too pleased. And while Wolvie is in charge, Professor X is dealing with death and destruction elsewhere.
The show typically airs Friday nights at 8 PM on Nicktoons, but the DVD is a great chance to get exposed (and possibly hooked) to the show. Enjoy the below clip.

Wanted: Weapons of Fate hit consoles and PCs yesterday (albeit almost a year late when tied to the movie but that's ok). And Warner Brothers has released a nifty little trailer showcasing some of the highlights of the game. It looks and feels like the movie, with everything from bullets colliding in midair to the requisite geometric afflictions of bullets in mid-flight (i.e. curving). It doesn't look half bad, but it is another shooter. Anyways, see for yourself after the jump.

The newest issue of film magazine Empire will feature a newly unengaged vixen in the name of Megan Fox. There will most likely be talk of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and said newly available status, but until March 26 when the issue hits newstands enjoy the cover photo.
MMM. Incoherent tattoo writing on side.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

In what has to be a first, Spider-Man actually saved a child from a burning building. Sure, that's happened countless times in the comic books, but this time was for real.
BBC reports of a firefighter on scene at a burning building where an autistic child would not come back in the building from the window he climbed to because he was scared. After hearing one of the teachers mention the child's love of Spider-Man, one of the firefighters rushed back to the station and grabbed a Spider-Man costume from his locker. He donned it, and was able to convince the child to come in to safety. This is one of those things you read makes you feel good.
Although there should be a follow up story as to why the firefighter had a Spider-Man costume in his locker to begin with.
Spider-Man saves child from burning building

I promise you that Omnicomic isn't getting religious on you. Although you may think that between Tedd's recent column "blaspheming" Left Behind and this week's pick by me as well as Brandon. But fret not my friends! Simply enjoy this week's pick from the lovely folks over at Image Comics.
This week's pick is American Jesus: Book 1 - Chosen by Mark Millar and Peter Gross. The trade paperback follows a twelve-year-old boy who suddenly realizes that he's actually Jesus Christ returned. He has all the requisite abilities that being Jesus bears, but can he manage the responsibility? Oh yeah, there's an inevitable conflict arriving that has been one thousand years in the making. Try that on for size.
Enjoy!
New Arrivals: March 25, 2009